When you search the WordPress Plugin Directory (or “Repository” – no matter how you call it) for “admin bar” or “toolbar” you’ll find a galore of plugins in the results that will do just one thing: completely remove the Toolbar for anyone, or at least on the frontend or for anyone but the administrator users (or the role).
And know what, that is totally fine. There could be so many reasons you want to do just that.
However, I like the Toolbar and I like to use it actually. But, when I use the Toolbar, I want that to be to the fullest. And mostly, I don’t want other users to have all these options that I as the Administrator (Site-Builder, Maintainer…) have. With Toolbar Extras you can do all just. Again, that is really fine! 😉
There’s another point, I want to make here: removing the Toolbar, or configuring the Toolbar display is normally implemented for certain users. That’s great, to do that for the others. But know what? Using Toolbar Extras is all about YOU. Yes, you’ve read that right. This plugin is all about you. It puts you in the focus, as it puts your site-building and your workflow into the spotlight. It was build to make the clicking and jumping to options pages etc. a lot faster, and easier, save you mouse scrolling time, and lot of other little things as well. And it was made to do that for you, while you are working for the client.
So, it’s not about the other users, and tools for them, that is all just fine. Now, it’s about you and your process. In my opinion we as site-builders often times are so passionate about our clients and projects that we, along the way, forget to think about ourselves. But we should. We sit down for hours, days, whole nights, weeks, even months to build the project, right? Then please, by all means, let’s make our workflow easier. Don’t think about just another plugin to install. Just think about YOUR work again. It should be fast, it should be made easier and it should be fun, right?
I’ve seen so many site-builders, “implementers”, maintainers who were so focused about not installing yet another plugin that they totally forgot to make their work within the WP-Admin or on the frontend just a little easier. The plugin directoy is full of AWESOME little helper tools that once scratched the itch of its creator but then made the life of another user so much easier, too. Isn’t this how it should be in the first place? Overcome your “plugin angst”. Just try it. You may have heard the slogan, “it’s the quality not the quantity” – in regards to plugins I totally believe in that. I for myself LOVE to use plugins that make my life easier. More often than not, they were created by site-builders just like me. In almost all cases they are well coded and just do one thing, and this one thing in an awesome great way.
So, the next time you start to setup a project or importing your “Starter” site to iterate from that, try to install plugins that help you to get your work done better, faster, easier and with more joy. Just try it. It’s not so much telling you about my Toolbar Extras plugin. Just take that as an example only. Think about the general principle I was pointing out. It’s all about you. You, the hard-working site-builder setting things up, designing, creating, doing all the heavy lifting. Think a bit about you and your work.
My wish is, that you will find great joy, or even new joy when working within the WP-Admin or Frontend area and that you think about those “little” tools that were created just for you.
Have a great time and keep on building the best sites this world has ever seen!
